American. Lebanese. Human being.

June 2011

Thursday, June 30, 2011

If we're to believe the media leaks, the Special Tribunal for Lebanon named 4 high ranking Hizbullah members as suspects in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri in 2005.

A delegation handed over the indictment a few hours ago to Judge Said Mirza, and is reportedly on its way to Syria to hand over the Syria-related indictment: meaning the suspects include Lebanese and Syrians.

The question that hovers like a black cloud over much of Lebanon today is: now what?

Prime Minister Najib Mikati went on TV with panic on his face, blubbering something about national unity and quoting the slain prime minister that "no one is greater than Lebanon". He appeared shaken and weak and concluded with a laughable vow to prove to" those who wagered that the indictment will divide Lebanese, that victory will be for Lebanese unity". Considering how he got his post, and all the intimidation and threats that got him his nomination, not to mention his alliance with the very party suspected of killing the main political leader of his sect, I would say that Mikati today is an unenviable position.

The four arrest warrants reportedly handed over to Lebanese authorities include one for Imad Moghnieh's successor, Mustapha Badreddine, and 3 other members or leaders of the group. Some of these members are not likely to have acted alone, and have deep ties to the Iranian revolutionary guards, as is the case with Badreddine (again, according to media reports).

Mirza has not officially announced the details of the indictment yet. And it remains to be seen how Hizbullah will react, or more importantly, how Hariri's supporters will react on the streets of Beirut. Hizbullah, of course, has been preparing for this moment for months, if not years. The group is omnipresent, thanks to its demographic expansion, land-buying practices, and embedding with its Christian allies. It now has a more significant presence in the cabinet, and in most Lebanese security agencies, with the exception of the ISF's Information Branch.

Mirza has 30 days to arrest the four suspects. He has already paid a visit to Mikati. And the latter has to decide how far he can go opposing the international community and the sentiments of people from his own sect (and other Lebanese who still believe in the concept of justice).